Holder for matches



(NO Model.)

A. GALBRAITH. HOLDER FOR MATCHES, TooTHPIoKs, sw.

110,591,963. Patented Oct. 19,1897.

Wilmeses aazwlim, I

UNITED STATES PATENT EETCE.

ARTHUR GALBRAITH, OF EVERTON, MISSOURI.

HOLDER FOR MATCHES, TOOTHPICKS, 80C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,963, dated October 19, 1897.

Application filed March 26, 1897. Serial No. 629,443. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR GALBRAITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Everton, in the county of Dade and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Holder for Matches, Toothpiclrs, &c. of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to holders for matches, toothpicks, dac.; and the object in view is to provide a simple, cheap, and attractive safe Which Will contain the desired quantity of matches or toothpicks, as the case may be, and Which will enable the said articles to be extracted with perfect ease, one at a time, and which at the same time Will defeat the removal of more than a single match at one and the same time.

The invention consists in an improved holder for matches, toothpicks, dac., embodying novel features and details of construction hereinafter particularly set forth, illustrated in the drawings, and incorporated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved holder. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same taken centrally. Fig. 3 is a detail section showing the operation of the guards in the act of removing the contents of the holder.

Similar numerals of reference designate cor-A responding parts in the several figu res of the drawings.

The improved holder contemplated in this invention is made in the form of a substantially rectangular box, comprising a front 1 and a back 2, connected to triangular-shaped side pieces 3, which form rests for supporting the holder at an angle of forty-five degrees more or less. The back 2 terminates at its top and bottom edges short of the corresponding edges of the front, and a bottom 4 connects the back 2 and front 1. The back 2 is also provided With an open slot 5, extending downward from its top edge, which facilitates the introduction of the matches or toothpicks into the holder, or the insertion and removal of the original package 6 containing said articles.

Extending upward from the bottom edge of the front 1 is a iinger-slot, comprising an upper narrow portion 7 for the index-finger and a lower relatively Wide portion 8 for the thumb. At the point Where the narrow 'and wide portions of the iinger-slot merge opposing horizontal slots 9 are provided, the same forming lateral extensions of the finger-slot and opening into said slot and together With the nger-slot forming a discharge-passage through which the matches or toothpicks may be extracted. The slots 9 are formed in thc plane of the upper surface of the bottom 4 of the holder, and adjacent to the slots 9 the front 1 is reinforced or thickened by flanges 10, which extend around said opening and project forward and also upward, as at 1l. These flanges may be cast or formed integrally with the front 1, or they may be formed with bases 12 and secured to said front, as may be preferred.

At each side of the finger-slot 7 S opposing recesses 13 are formed, and mounted Within said recesses are pivoted substantially inverted-U-shaped guards 14. These guards are fulcrumed at their tops onv shouldered bolts 15, which extend through the portions 11 of the flanges 10, and each guard comprises a slot 16, which extends obliquely to the front 1 and the floors of the slots 9 and forming two sides. Each guard 14 also comprises an inner side or portion in rear of the slot, forming a cut-off 17 and a lower depending outer side or portion 18 in advance of said slot, against which the match orftoothpick being extracted bears for Vibrating the guard and causing the cut-off portion 17 to interpose itself between such match or toothpick and the next succeeding article.

The guards 14 hang by gravity in the positions indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, so that as a match is Withdrawn from the holder it will enter the slots 16. Upon the outward movement of the match the guards are rocked outward, as shown in Fig. 3,When they will come in contact With shoulders 19, defining the upper portions of the recesses in which the guards are mounted. After the match or toothpick has been entirely removed, the guards gravitate to the positions indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, in readiness to receive and permit the removal of another match or toothpick.

From the foregoing description it Will be seen that but one article may be Withdrawn from the holder at a time, the succeeding ar- IOO separators.

ticles being held bac-k by the cut-off Vportions 17 of thefgu'ard-s, which thus Aalso `constitute `While the construction admits of the easy removal of a single match or toothpick, itprevents a person from removing a large quantity of such articles from the holder and thus l greatly -economizes in the use of such articles. A

It Will be understood that ,the improved holder is susceptible of changesfin 'theform, proportion, and minor details of construction which may accordingly be resorted to Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing' any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed asnew is- 1. Afholder .for matches-dac. comprising a receptacle havinga `finger-slot and a -transg versepassage through which thefartic-les'may 1 be extracted, Vand a substantially inverted- .U -shaped gravity-guard pivotedlat -its bend inathefslot `to form inner and outer-side portions :and 'arranged to sWi-ntg transversely-of the passageand through the sameft'he `outer side portion being arranged to bef'engagedi and factuated by't'he article'extractedfand the inner side 'portion formingacut-offsubstantially as described.

:2. Aholder for matches, -&c.vcomprisingfa Vsuitable receptacle provided vwith ainger-i slot and having a passage, a pair of substantiallyinverte'd-U -shaped gravity-guards pivoted at their bends in the finger-slot at opposite sides thereof to form inner and outer Side portions and arranged to swing transversely of the -passage through the saule, the outer side portion of each vguard being arranged to be engaged by the articles and the .inner side portion for-ming a cut-off, and stops "arranged to limit the swing of t-he guards, substantially as described.

l 3. Aholder formatches,.&c., comprising a receptacle adapted to receive an original '.p'ackagefand.consisting of an inclined front pas. sage and having a recess lat each side of the provided with a finger-opening and a opening ,to form stops and provided With a `llange extending around :the passage, a bottom, a back, and ,the 'substantially triangular side pieces forming rests, and guards Apivotedfin said yrecessesand being 'substantially inverted `U shaped, substantially as described.

.In testimony that .-I claim the foregoing Aas nryown I have heretocaxediny signature inl -thefpresenceof two Witnesses.

ARTHUR GALBRAlTH.

Witnessesz ,-H. MITCHELL, T. MYERS. 

